Lunar and solar eclipses?

Question

How often do they occur?

Answer 1

At least twice per year, although total eclipses are more rare.

Basically the orbit of the Moon is titled about 5 degrees compared to the orbit of the Earth. The two points where the planes of two orbits intersect are called nodes. Anytime one of these nodes coincides with a full moon, then the Moon will be in the Earths shadow and you have a lunar eclipse. When it coincides with a new moon, then the Moon casts its shadow on the Earth and you get a solar eclipse.

Whether or not the eclipse is partial or total depends on just how precisely the nodes and the phase of the Moon coincide. Also, because the Earth's shadow is four times bigger than the Moon's, lunar eclipses happen more often and can be seen by half the planet. Solar eclipses are more rare and are only visible in a limited area since the Moon's shadow cannot cover the whole Earth.

Have a look at the Wikipedia article below. It has diagrams and stuff.

Answer 2

I don't really know how often but they are something to see. Best solar eclipse I ever saw was probably about 30 yrs. ago. It was very strange. Everything took on this very eerie look. Not dark but not light. Not at all like the sun passing behind a cloud. I was outside watching it in a bucket of water.Never look directly at the sun. You'll fry your eyes. Everything in the neighborhood just seemed to go Quiet. No birds singing no breeze. Strange, very very strange. I think lunar is more frequent. And you can look directly at that. It's only reflected sunlight off of the moon. It takes a while but worth the wait. Lunar is when the earth passes between the sun and moon and casts it's shadow on the moon. Solar is when the Moon passes between the Sun and earth blocking out the sunlight. So be outside tonight at 4am central time and just wait. adjust time for your time zone.Enjoy

Answer 3

There will be from 2 to 5 solar eclipses in any calendar year (72% of all years only have 2). Each eclipse will only cover a small part of the earth, so it may be several years between solar eclipses as viewed from any one spot on earth. A map of the paths of solar eclipses over a 25-year period can be viewed at http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEatlas/SEatlas3/SE2001-25A-2.GIF
to give an idea of how rare they are.

There will be 2 to 4 lunar eclipses in a given year. Like solar eclipses, each one can only be viewed from a portion of the earth.

Answer 4

i've got not got a call, i think of the two are fascinating & extremely eye-catching. i did not get to be certain the single final evening by way of cloud hide regrettably. i don't experience the effects of the lunar eclipse & won't be able to keep in mind a transformation for the duration of a photograph voltaic one the two. each and every so often in the process the standard finished moon cycle i will have a under pressure evening's sleep, yet that's approximately it.

Answer 5

There can be from four to seven eclipses in a calendar year, which repeat according to various eclipse cycles.

Answer 6

At Midnight

Answer 7

I don't know how often but there's gonna be one at around 4am CT tonight, or is it this morning? whaterer!